Partition construction



Dec. 27, 1966 A. B. HAMMITT 3,293,812

PARTITION CONSTRUCTION Filed May 8, 1963 INVENTOR. 279'. e AA40/6W B. HAMM/rf It will be seen from the foregoing description that the post and associated parts illustrated in FIG; 1 correspond to the disclosure in FIG. of my copending application previously referred to. It will also be seen that in order to assemble the channel member 24 with the post 10, it is necessary only to press the channel member laterally between the face portions 12 until the shoulders 30 of the wing portions 28 snap into abutting, locking position against the locking surfaces 22 of the locking ribs 16. Since` the post 10 and the channel member 24 when assembled are in telescopic relation, they can be slidably disassembled. The opposite edge of the post may be used to receive another channel member 24 or a panel section as required.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 2, the post 10 is the same as shown in FIG. 1. Also the channel member 24a is the same as the channel member 24, except that the groove or channel for a pane of glass is omitted and the channel member is backed against one of the face portions 12 of the post 10 to which it may be welded or rigidly attached thereto by other suitable means. A panel of wall forming material 40 is secured at its upper end between two narrow sheets or strips 42 by screws 44 or other suitable means. The sheets may be of metal or other suitable strong material. They project a short distance beyond the adjacent end of the panel 40 and terminate at their free ends in locking ribs 46 similar to locking ribs 16 of the post 1i) and having locking surfaces 48 for snap engagement with the shoulders 3l) of the channel member 24a. The panel 40 can be slidably removed from the channel member. Obviously, a similar channel member can be attached to the opposite face portion of the postlt) together with another panel, and similar or varying panels may be snap engaged with the locking ribs 16 of the post 10.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 3, the construction and arrangement are identically the same shown in FIG. 2 except that the sheets 42a may encase the entire sides of the panel, which may be desirable in some installations.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 4, the panel 40 with the encasing sheets may be the same as shown in FIGS. 2 or 3. The channel member 24b may also be the same as shown in those views except that it is provided at longitudinal intervals with openings 25 for the reception of screws 50 by means of which, or other suitable means, the channel member is attached to another panel 52. This panel may also be encased in sheets 54 of suitable material.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 5, the panel 52 together with the attached channel member 24b may be the same as shown in FIG. 4. However, the lower panel 40a is made of two sheets 56 having locking ribs 46a at their ends the same as locking ribs 46 shown in FIG. 4 for snap engagement with the locking surfaces 30 of the channel member 24b. The sheets 56 are bent together below their free ends and secured together by rivets 58 or other suitable means.

In that form of the invention shown in FIG. 6, the panels of wall forming material 60 are provided with a central core or body 62 covered on their opposite faces by sheets of surfacing material 64 which have free edge portions 66 that project beyond the adjacent edge 68 of the body or lcore 62 of the panels. The surfacing material 64 may be formed of cement, plastic, metal, plywood or other compositions of suitable or desired appearance, strength or weathering properties.

Each of the panels of wall forming material 60 is provided with a channel member 70 which is positioned between the projecting free edge portions 66 of the surfacing material 64 and has a base 72 secured to the edge 66 of the core or body 62 by means of screws 74 or other fastening means. The channel members may be formed as shown at 24 in FIG. 1. In the alternative, as shown in FIG. 6, the channel members 70 may be provided with opposite sides or 'wing portions 76 which are inclined inwardly from the opposite sides or ends of the base 72 of the channel member. The extremities 78 of the wing portions of the channel members are then reversely turned, bent or formed to present outwardly projecting locking ribs engageable with the inwardly projecting locking ribs 22 of the H-shaped column 10.

The wing portions 76 of the channel members 70 are thus free to move inward so that the panels may be secured to the column 10 on one side or on opposite sides thereof by pushing the panel toward the column. When the extremities 78 move past the locking lugs 22 on the inner surfaces of the face portions 12 of the column, the wings will spring outward into retaining engagement with the locking ribs on the column 10 to hold the wall forming panel or panels securely in place. However, if desired, the wall forming panels 60 may be assembled with the column 10 by sliding the panel or column longitudinally parallel to the edge 68 of the cores 62 of the panels with the locking ribs and extremities 78 of the channel members in intertting relation.

With this construction, the free edge portions 66 of the surfacing material 64 of the panels 60 of Wall forming material on opposite sides of the column 10 may extend into abutting relation as shown on the lefthand side of the column in FIG. 6. The column itself may thus be hidden or concealed by the projecting free edge portions 66 of the panels to provide a continuous unbroken wall surface. If desired, as shown in FIG. 6, the abutting edges 80 of the projecting portions of the surfacing material 64 may be bevelled as shown at 82 whereby an attractive architectural appearance may be provided while the columns 10 supporting the panels will be completely hidden.

In the alternative as shown on the righthand side of FIG. 6, the adjacent edges 84 of the projecting material 64 of the panels at opposite sides of the partition may be spaced apart to have the area 86 of the face portion 12 of the column visible between the edges of the panels. The face portion may be anodized or colored to present a vertical stripe of contrasting or metallic color which is visible between the edges of the panels for decorative or desired architectural effect or design novelty.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 6 of the drawings, the locking ribs carried by the column 10 and/ or the panels may be formed by return bending the ends of the encasing sheets or layers of surfacing material. Howe-ver, they may be formed by other suitable means as for example, by extrusion or otherwise. Furthermore, the channel members 24, 24a, 24b and 70 shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 are concealed and need not extend t-he full length of the column but may instead consist of transversely extending straps located in suitably spaced relation lengthwise of the column -or panel with the ends thereof reversely turned or formed to engage the locking ribs on the column or panel. v

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the embodiments of my invention shown and described lend themselves to many advantageous variations in the design and construction of .partitions with a limited number of types and formations of the elements used in such structures. Also, the elements may be easily assembled in erecting a partition without using any .fastening means Whatever except those which may be employed in securing an anchor or other element to a floor, ceiling or existingv lwall. Nevertheless, the partitions produced possess unusual strength and rigidity assuring the requisite durability for any and all installations.

As illustrated in the drawings and described above, the various elements employed in the combination are capable of numerous variations in shape or cross-section. However, in .every instance, the elements may be produced in a factory in a form ready for use without modification or change on the site of erection.

While the panels and columns described are particularly adapted for use in erecting building partitions, they may also be used in other portions of buildings such as walls, curtain walls, and other types of .building structures. Moreover, the members to which the panels are connected need not :be vertically extending columns, but may be horizontal rails extending along the upper and lower edges of the panel or partition or they may be secured to the floor or ceiling in Iforming a complete wall section or portion thereof. Thus, if desired, the panels may be provided with marginal elements with locking means thereon extending about the entire perimeter of the panel.

It should, therefore, be understood that the particular form, shape and size of the elements employed and t-he type of wall-forming sheets, floor anchors and other members used in the assembly and erection of partitions, as shown in the drawings and described above, are intended to be illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

I claim:

An assembly for partition panels and the like, cornprising:

(a) a vertical post of H-shaped cross-section having (1) parallel face portions, and

(2) a web connecting said face portions intermediate the opposite free longitudinal edges of .said face portions to dene channels at opposite sides of the 'web opening outwardly therefrom, said edges being formed with inwardly projecting locking ribs extending longitudinally of the post at the opposite sides of each channel, the ribs at the sides of each channel having guide surfaces converging toward the web and terminating in locking surfaces disposed approximately normally to the face portions;

(b) a vertical channel member for mounting in either of said channels including (l) a at lbase portion disposed parallel to said web :and having a longitudinally and centrally extending groove opening away from said web, and

(2) a pair of longitudinal wing portions extending toward said web from the respective, opposite longitudinal edges of said lbase portion, said wing portions having outwardly extending shoulders intermediate the ends of the lwing portions, said shoulders terminating in conlvergent offset portions providing guide surfaces, said guide surfaces of the wing portions being slidable along the guide surfaces of the ribs to interlock said shoulders with the locking surfaces of the ribs responsive to movement of the channel member toward the web; and

(c) a vertical partition panel member extending from the post normally to said web and -having an edge portion engaged in said groove of the channel member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,848,715 3/1932 Hart et al 287-189.36 2,164,138 `6/1939 London 52`407 2,332,299 10/ 1943 Cohn 2204 2,495,862 l/1950 Osborn 52-580 2,866,527 12/1958 Schilling 52-235 FOREIGN PATENTS 614,394 12/1948 `Great Britain. 863,271 3/ 1961 Great Britain.

35 RICHARD W. COOKE, IR., Primary Examiner. 

